Food for Thought

There isn't much to report today - we won't have any real news until Wednesday. I did have some interesting experiences today. At Jake's soccer class the mom's were talking about pre-natal tests, false positives, and whether it was good to know if there were issues while pregnant. This is a common discussion since many families have experienced false positives for issues on ultrasounds and other tests. The conversation hit home today and I was very proud/relieved that I could listen to the conversation without getting emotional. We haven't told most people about Taylor's challenge yet - we're waiting until we know more information. So, I listened quietly but couldn't help think about our situation.

Taylor was extensively tested while I was pregnant. Her 10 week ultrasound showed excess nucleal fluid at the base of her neck - which can indicate problems, or nothing at all. The radiologist told us, without a doubt, that there was something seriously wrong with Taylor. We were devastated and I prayed and prayed to trust God and asked Him to guide us. After a CVS test (similar to an amnio), we were assured that her chromosomes were completely normal and we were nearly in the clear. She had the regular 20 week ultrasound and a special cardio ultrasound at 24 weeks to examine her heart (the heart was also at risk from the results of the 10 week ultrasound). We finally got the "all clear" at 24 weeks and were so thankful. When she was born, I was so thrilled that she was perfectly healthy.

In hindsight, one of the tests should have caught that there were abnormalities in her brain. However, I'm not angry that they missed it. I'm actually very relieved and believe God did guide us. With the way it's developed, we were able to enjoy the remainder of our pregnancy and fall in love with our baby girl without worrying about her. And, we've found out about her brain in time for her to take advantage of the crucial early years of development. Other families shouldn't worry though - Taylor's problem is rare, rare, rare.

A highlight today was the Mother's Day lunch at Lauren's school. This is such a special day where Lauren and her classmates sing a few songs, say why they love their Mom (Lauren loves me because I cuddle her), and we share a special lunch together. This year, I hugged Lauren extra tight - so thankful that she has been able to thrive in pre-school and is well prepared for kindergarten. Jake will attend Kid's Place next year and I pray to attend many more Mother's Day lunches for both he and Taylor at the school.